Verbena plant named &#39;DOVEWIHOP&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Dovewihop’, characterized by its compact, semi-trailing and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; and red-colored flowers that become light red purple and white with development; flowers held above and beyond the foliar plane in mounded umbels.

Botanical designation: Verbena X hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOVEWIHOP’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant, botanically known as Verbena X hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dovewihop’.

The new Verbena plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely-branching Verbena plants with numerous large and attractive flowers.

The new Verbena plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2015 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Verbena X hybrida identified as code number VV14-007927-001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Verbena X hybrida identified as code number VV14-007927-002, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Verbena plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dovewihop’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dovewihop’ as a new and distinct Verbena plant:

1. Compact, semi-trailing and mounding plant habit.

2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.

3. Freely branching habit.

4. Early and freely flowering habit.

5. Red-colored flowers that become light red purple and white with development; flowers held above and beyond the foliar plane in mounded umbels.

Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Verbena are more compact than plants of the female parent selection.

2. Plants of the new Verbena have smaller flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

3. Plants of the new Verbena and the female parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Verbena are more compact than plants of the male parent selection.

2. Plants of the new Verbena flower earlier than plants of the male parent selection.

3. Plants of the new Verbena have smaller flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

4. Plants of the new Verbena and the male parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have red-colored fully developed flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the Verbena X hybrida ‘Flagdena’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,438. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of ‘Flagdena’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Verbena are more compact than plants of ‘Flagdena’.

2. Plants of the new Verbena flower earlier than plants of ‘Flagdena’.

3. Plants of the new Verbena and ‘Flagdena’ differ in flower color as plants of ‘Flagdena’ have red purple and light red purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Verbena plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Verbena plant.

The photograph is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dovewihop’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 22-cm containers during the spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Verbena production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were ten weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena X hybrida ‘Dovewihop’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena X             hybrida identified as code number VV14-007927-001, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena X             hybrida identified as code number VV14-007927-002, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 158A in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Compact, semi-trailing and mounding plant             habit; freely branching habit with about five primary             lateral branches each with about four to six secondary             lateral branches; pinching enhances lateral branch             development; dense and bushy plant habit; moderately             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 13.5             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 15             cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 55 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 20 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 4 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture and luster.—Pubescent; semi-glossy.         -   Color, developing.—Close to 144C; at the internodes, close             to 144A.         -   Color, developed.—Close to 144A; at the internodes, close to             144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement: Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 5 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Lobed.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Pubescent, coarse;             semi-glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Pubescent, coarse; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137B; venation, close to 146A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 147C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper             surface: Close to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close to 139C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in             hemispherical terminal umbels; umbels dense and mounding;             numerous umbels per plant; flowers face upward or outwardly             depending on position in the umbel; freely flowering habit             with about 12 to 16 flowers per inflorescence and about 600             to 700 flowers developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             the spring through the fall in Northern Europe; plants begin             flowering about eight weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 2.7 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.6 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Oval to tubular. Texture and luster: Rippled; matte.             Color: Close to 62B.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Salverform, five-parted fused corolla.             Diameter: About 2.2 cm. Depth: About 2.5 cm. Throat             diameter: About 2.1 mm. Tube length: About 2.1 cm. Tube             diameter: About 1.5 mm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.             Petal lobe length: About 1.2 cm. Petal lobe width: About             1 cm. Petal lobe shape: Obovate. Petal lobe apex:             Emarginate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Throat             texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Tube texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Petal lobe, when             opening, upper surface: Close to 46A. Petal lobe, when             opening, lower surface: Distally, close to 62B; proximally             close to N155C. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper surface:             Distally, close to 44A and 63B; proximally, close to NN155B;             venation, similar to lamina; color does not change with             development. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface:             Distally, close to 65B; proximally, close to N155B;             venation, similar to lamina; color does not change             development. Throat: Close to 145C; venation, close to 145C.             Tube: Close to 145C; venation, close to 145C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five fused             sepals. Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Sepal             length: About 1.3 cm. Sepal width: About 1.5 mm. Sepal             shape: Ligulate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire.             Sepal texture and luster, upper surface: Pubescent, coarse;             semi-glossy. Sepal texture and luster, lower surface:             Pubescent, coarse; matte. Sepal color, when developing,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143C and 144D. Sepal             color, fully developed, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             143C and 144D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and             luster: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 0.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement:             About four per flower, adnate to corolla tube. Filament             length: About 0.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 155C. Anther             length: About 0.5 mm. Anther shape: Oval. Anther color:             Close to N144B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close             to 2D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:             About 1.8 cm. Style length: About 1.7 cm. Style color: Close             to 142A. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape:             Bi-parted; fimbriate. Stigma color: Close to 147C. Ovary             color: Close to 144A. Fruits: Quantity produced per plant:             About 400 during the flowering season. Length: About 5 mm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture: Rough. Color: Close to 199C.             Seeds: Quantity per flower: About four. Length: About             4.8 mm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 199B. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 11° C. to about 25° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbena     plants to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘Dovewihop’ as illustrated and described. 